"I am glad Ben is enjoying himself," she thought, "but I would rather stay quietly at home. Poor boy! he works hard enough, and needs recreation now and then."

 

Just then a knock was heard at the outside door.

 

"I wonder who it can be?" thought the widow. "I supposed everybody would be at the Town Hall. It may be Mrs. Perkins come to borrow something."

 

Mrs. Perkins was a neighbor much addicted¹ to borrowing, which was rather disagreeable, but might have been more easily tolerated but that she seldom returned the articles lent.

 

Mrs. Barclay went to the door and opened it, fully² expecting to see her borrowing neighbor. A very different person met her view. The ragged³ hat, the ill-looking face, the neglected attire⁴, led her to recognize the tramp whom Ben had described to her as having attempted to rob him in the afternoon. Terrified, Mrs. Barclay's first impulse was to shut the door and bolt it. But her unwelcome visitor was too quick for her. Thrusting his foot into the doorway⁵, he interposed an effectual obstacle in the way of shutting the door.

 

"No, you don't, ma'am!" he said, with as laugh. "I understand your little game. You want to shut me out."

 

"What do you want?" asked the widow apprehensively⁶.

 

"What do I want?" returned the tramp. "Well, to begin with, I want something to eat--and drink," he added, after a pause.

 

"Why don't you go to the tavern⁷?" asked Mrs. Barclay, anxious for him to depart.

 

"Well, I can't afford it. All the money I've got is a bogus dollar your

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